On Friday, former mayor Ed Koch passed away at the age of 88. Three weeks prior to his death, the legendary New York City politician gave Piers Morgan what is believed to be his final interview, and in a tribute to the late leader, tonight the host will air portions of that interview during his 9 p.m. program.

Seated across from Koch on January 8, the British television presenter revealed the stigma surrounding New York prior to Koch's reign:

"When I first came here, I think in the mid-'70s, it was pretty rough," revealed the "Piers Morgan Tonight" host. "I mean, I felt pretty intimidated walking around as a young 13 or 14 year old in Central Park."

Understanding such a sentiment, Koch admits that it was "reasonable to feel that way."

Noting that things have changed quite a bit during the course of the last four decades, Morgan says that there has "been an extraordinary transformation under a succession of mayors, starting with you."

Shelving any humility, Koch gave himself a great deal of the credit:

"I will tell you frankly. I believe that I created the foundation. I changed the city of New York. I gave people back their morale. I built 250,000 housing units and affordable rentals and a whole host of other things," he tells Morgan. "It created the climate for what ultimately others after me, David Dinkins and Rudy Giuliani and the current mayor, Mike Bloomberg - particularly him - have done. We are once again the capital - international capital of the world. I honestly, truly believe that."

soundoff(19 Responses)

Norb Lyle

I am listening to former Mayor Ed Koch's last interview on your program and I think it's just wonderful. Thank you.

What I wanted to say is : "we sure missed him as President of the United States of America". I would've voted for him in a second if we had the chance! He would've made a great President going by this last interview, for sure! Thanks again.

Did the Ed Koch interview play originally? I never saw it if it was recorded three weeks ago and I watch Piers regularly. How many other interviews do they do of people then play it prima facie on their death???

Piers, I think I figured out why the U.K. and dictatorships through organized crime, oppression, fear a well armed population. These regimes try to control everything, the economy, human rights websites to prevent the exposure of their own human rights violations, etc, and this is linked to attempts to eliminate the means of subsistence of those they target, bankrupt them, police smear campaigns, police and organized crime team work, framing citizens, criminal records, all to push them down, mob them, to control them, a form of dictatorship.

These fear retaliation and committing acts of terror to completely disarm the population to make this hidden dictatorship less visible, censorship, an easier dictatorship, etc. Using radar assaults to murder citizens and hide it through their medical systems.

There are always forces trying to control everything and create a dictatorship, even hidden dictatorships.

Through history it as always been armed guards, a defenseless population, and dictators, kings and queens. Now I believe that abuse and influence of the mind, which in some regimes can include both the Police and organized crime working together, to commit acts of terror to advocate a defenseless population.

CA Homeowner Shoots and Kills Armed Home Invader, Wounds 2 Others as Children Have Sleepover this is one reason can you think of a better reason you need more than 10 shots? they may laught but a big gun that looks bad may back some off faster knowing she not going to run out of shots,

Such a distortion of history! I guess Koch never heard of the Christian Crusades which didn't go so well. Koch's vile, evil, pernicious assault on the Palestinian people and the Arabs is unAmerican.

Europeans killed Jews and were responsible for the Holocaust, not the Palestinians! European Jewish refugees went to Palestine, took homes and land that belong to the Palestinians making the Palestinians refugees. So Jews are to the Palestinians what Hitler was to them? Are Jews any less evil? Jews owned 7% of Palestine at this time. The oppressed are now the oppressors!

Terrorism and Israel are synonymous. Begin, Shamir and Ben-Gurion all terrorists and all prime ministers of Israel and of course Sharon is the butcher of Lebanon (Israeli troops led by Sharon provided light from flares while Phalangist slaughtered old men, women and children in the Palestinian refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila.)

Of course Ariel Sharon placed illegal Jewish settlers on Gaza, then demanded $2.2 billion American tax dollars to remove them before the 'war crime" Operation Cast Lead was launched during which time Israel brutally murdered over 1400 Palestinians.

The American people are tired and wary of Jews and Israel. America has been good for Jews, but Jews are not good for America as demonstrated by Ed Koch!

America listen are you ready to go shoot a police officer or someone in the military because their going to take your guns or are you military and police officers ready to shoot Americans. So Americans can be safe are you stupid enough to do what the president ask you to do then we are all dead isn't that smart that we would do that. Is that really defending America our country? Pierce Morgan isn't really in the equation he really doesn't matter. My Country America and what our forefathers wanted us to learn dose!

Piers this was a great interview! Ed Koch you were the best Major this city has ever had! I love how Ed just ran down his resume as he talked through out the interview.
I agree "We are once again the international capital of the world."

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